Life is Stranger: The Road Trip
by Simmy731
Summary: Max Caulfield and Chloe Price are married! They are happy and in love and living in the aftermath of the Storm. They won't let it win and have decided to go on a long journey, a Road Trip across America with no particular destination in mind. Along the way, they will deal with hilarity, love, hate, sadness, loss and anything in between. A sequel to Life is Stranger. Enjoy!
1. Chapter ONE: Long Road Ahead

**Chapter ONE: Long Road Ahead**

_**Hey everyone! I am so excited to start this fanfic. This is a sequel to my first fanfic, Life is Stranger. You dont't have to read that one but it may probide some insite. Thanks so much for reading and enjoy the first chapter!**_

Arcadia Bay. Once a town infested with corruption, conspiracy and hate.

Now what was it?

Rebuilding, surviving and healing. After a storm that caused destruction and chaos on a catastrophic scale.

The death toll was insane and the damage caused was believed to be in the millions. Yet...only one year on from that traumatic disaster...here it stood. Not complete, it probably never will be, but a home again. A place people can live, marry and be happy. Just like a certain shy hipster and a blue haired punk.

Max Caulfield and Chloe Price found something during the carnage that many people can only hope to find in ever day life...love. They had been friends for years and this friendship survived large distance and loss so devastating it left those involved feeling empty and lost. It then not only survived a mega storm/tornado but it blossomed. The love and bond between Max and Chloe continued to grow until the two old friends finally married and became the Price-Caulfields.

Now, a full month after their wedding, the two lovers finally decided to go on the road trip across America they had been planning for a long time. They didn't have a destination and they didn't know what was going to happen and who they'd meet or what they'd get up to. But before they could leave and go on their grand adventure, they had to pack and say their goodbyes but in usual Max and Chloe fashion...it wasn't going exactly as planned.

…

"MAX! I swear to God if you've lost my copy of Blade Runner, I'm going to take that camera and sell it to a guy...who really hates cameras" Chloe started. She wanted to come up with a clever threat but she was too tired to give a shit. The young punk had been packing for what felt like a decade when she suddenly realised her treasured copy of Blade Runner (the directors cut) had gone missing after Max took it over to Warren and Brook's.

"Chloe I told you, it's under the bed. I think. If you actually came to the movie night like I begged you then you wouldn't have this problem would you" shouted Max from downstairs in the living room.

Chloe replied instantly, immediately coming up with a funny remark. "Max the only begging I heard from you was last night in bed" she replied, walking over to the landing to ensure the young hipster could hear her.

In just over a month, Max and Chloe Price-Caulfield had completely settled down into married life and it showed. Chloe had her spirits lifted hugely and even though she was still her sarcastic and humerous self, she had a light inside her that shone brighter than ever before. She had even begun to draw again, ideas for awesome-sauce tattoos mostly but she enjoyed designing them although she would never show a soul yet. Except her amazing wife of course. Speaking of which, Max had become something of an internet icon. Among photographers anyway. Victoria Chase of all people had put her in contact with some amazing up and coming web designers who needed photos fast and Max delivered. Her work had been so well received that she was offered a full time contract and she got so emotional over the offer, she burst into tears telling Chloe, Joyce and David. Chloe had teased her of course but was extremely happy for her. Surprisingly, the newly weds hardly ever argued. The only excpetion was today when Chloe lost her DVD.

"You're such a dork, you know that right" laughed Max as she walked into the room carrying a large box, blushing at Chloe's dirty comment.

"I know but you love me for it hippie" replied Chloe, putting down her own box of shit and rushing over to Max and sweeping her off her feet, simultaneously sending Max's box flying across the room.

The two looked into eachothers eyes and kissed. The very momment their lips touched, both women felt a pulse go straight though them. Againt all odds they had surived and come together, finally living a life they could be proud of and aspire for. A life they loved and wouldn't give up for all the money in the world.

They both pulled away from the kiss at the same time as they were both aware they were meant to be leaving on a long road trip across the country in less than an hour. Max couldn't believe it was finally here after all this time. Not only had she married the love of her life and best friend, she was going on an adventure like they had always dreamed of ever since their days of playing pirates. The only part of their journey they had planned out was their vehichle and the first pit stop on the way. They were taking Chloe's truck and were stopping off at a motel a few hours outside of Arcaida Bay for the night and probably camp out the next few nights.

Chloe had worked for weeks on her truck to get it in working order. With some help of course. Her former step-douche David Madsen had provided some help as well. Max was surprised at how well they worked together, considering a year ago they pretty much hated eachother. The last year had seen a change take place in the former millitary man as the threat of nearly loosing his step-daughter had shown him the error of his ways and he had made up with Chloe. The punk had also changed towards David as they had bearly lost him during the storm when he had been injured saving Kate Marsh and her family. Now Max, Chloe, Joyce and David made up a nice little family and they were all very happy and content. Besides when Chloe and David were working on the truck. Then it was hell. Pure hell. They had a system and an understanding of cars neither Max nor Joyce had and they had learned not to say a word when the 'team' was in the zone. Both Max and her mother-in-law always found it hilarious when David and Chloe worked and Max learned new cuss words she never thought existed.

Suddenly aware of how little time they had, and after a friendly reminder from Joyce, Max and Chloe began to collect the final things from their room. Neither woman knew how long they'd be gone for so they took anything and everything they could find; CD's, DVD's , hair dye, towels, pirate hats, secret stashes, toilet paper...at one point they considered taking the damn house. It was all a rush but an incredibly exciting one for the young couple. Especially Chloe. Ever since she lost...her father...she planned to split from this fucked up town ASAP. She had tried it before several times but never really made it far. Not even when she met Rachel Amber. Now it was finally happening and as an added bonus, she was going with Max freaking Price-Caulfield, the woman she loved. Nothing could ruin this day!

As Max and Chloe packed the final few things from their room and began to heave it all downstairs, Chloe stopped halfway through the door and gazed at her room. She used to call it her prison. She hated it here for so many damn years she lost count. In this room, she had cried, shouted, screamed, punched, kicked and medicated to the point of numbness. Countless hours were spent dreaming of finally walking out that door and never coming back that it surprised her how sad she was now that she was finally leaving. It wasn't forever, they were coming back but she didn't how long. Their was a sadness to that she didn't fully understand. With a shake of her head, Chloe closed the door of her old prison and walked down the stairs to her truck.

…

David and Joyce were already packing the final few items of clothing into the truck by the time Max walked out of the front door. Before she walked over to the truck, Max did what she always did when exiting the front of the house. She looked down the street and saw the remnants of the storm. Even now, a year on, there was still evidence of the chaos that rocked this small town. One of the houses had extensive damage to the roof and another had no front lawn, just some debris that hadn't been cleared. Naturally a large portion of the surviving population of Arcadia Bay had chosen not too return, that is if they even had a home to return to. Max looked down to the ground. Every time she looked at any part of Arcadia Bay, she felt that awefull twinge of guilt without fail. She and Chloe had worked hard at trying to help the grief and guilt that haunted her and she had come a long way but they both knew it would never truly go away, even though she had no way knowing if she caused that storm. Her storm as she used to call it.

Joyce seemed to pick up on Max's episode and slowly walked over and gently placed a warm hand on her daughter-in-law's shoulder.

"Max honey, are you okay? I think we're nearly ready to go" she spoke with that soft and calm voice she was famous for. Max always thought that Joyce's voice could calm the angriest of wild animals but put the fear of God into those that piss her off. Her compassion is one of the many things Max loved about Joyce Price.

"Yeah I'm fine Joyce. Great actually, this trip is going to be amazing I'm sure of it. The area around Arcadia Bay is beautiful for photography!" Max proclaimed. It was true, she couldn't wait to take so many photo's on this trip, her camera was going to get a hell of a workout.

David strolled over with his trademark stride and smiled down at Max.

"I wanted to thank you before you go Max" began David, "A long time ago I accused you of breaking up my family. Now I know I was wrong. Instead I want to thank you for keeping it together. I know I wasn't sold on this trip of yours but you do have my support. Now...where's that step-daughter of mine" he asked, jokingly looking around. Max smiled wide. She loved how much David Madsen had changed. He really stepped up and became a man she and Chloe could actually rely on and Max really did think highly of him. Speaking of the devil, Chloe walked out of the front door and nearly tripped up, earning a chuckle from David. Chloe responded in her usual loving self,

"Something funny lieutenant moustache? It's not I nearly tripped on you're ego" laughed Chloe as she gave him the bird once she set the box down in her truck. The old David would of demanded respect. The new David simply shook his head and his a smile, clearly thinking of a clever comeback.

It took a further twenty minutes for the four of them to get everything packed and tidy. Max and Joyce made sure everything was neat and arranged and Chloe and David ensured everything was messy and all over the place. Finally, at 12:10 in the afternoon, everything was ready to go. Max and Chloe were very excited. They had been dreaming about this for so long and were eager to get going and beat the traffic around the freeway. The goodbyes however, they weren't looking forward to.

Joyce and David walked up to the truck and gave the two a sad smile. They all knew it would be a while before they met in person again. It was the last goodbye they had to do before they left. Max had spent an entire night saying goodbye to Warren and Brooke. Both Max and Chloe spent a day with Kate and her girlfriend, Victoria. It wasn't a permanent trip but it was still sad and they all had their phones. That still didn't make it any easier. The stood in silence for a full minute before Joyce spoke.

"Well...I guess for now this is goodbye. When I look at you two, I am blown away by how proud I am of both of you. My daughters. I hope you both have a great time and I love you both." said Joyce, a tear visible in her eye. Max gave Joyce a huge hug and so did Chloe. Every day Chloe regretted treating her mother like crap and promised she would make up for it. Saying goodbye for a while made that harder.

"Come on mom, not the mushy stuff please. You'll get me tearing up. I got my phone and money and shit so I'll be fine. Plus I have super-Max here to keep an eye on me. I will miss you mom and I do love you. But...I will miss your cooking a little more" Chloe joked and gave her mom another hug.

Now it was David's turn.

"Make sure to call every day without fail. Both of you. I don't want to have to drive hundreds of miles to come get you but...know that I will if you need me. I'm always here and I aint going anywhere. Stay safe please. I don't...I need….to know you're always safe" and with that, the tears fell down the big mans face and he turned away. Max and Chloe looked eachother longingly. They knew it had been hard on him since the injury and the whole storm disaster had taken its toll on him more than he let on. He was like Chloe, stubborn until the end.

Before Max could say anything, Chloe stepped forward and put her arms around the man she had hated for years. They had become close over the last year and a bit and it warmed Max's heart.

"No tears form you step-drain. I need you to look after my mom. I will miss you by the way and you know that hurts me to say heh. Plus, what could go wrong" she said, blinking away her own sadness.

"Now that does not ease my worries" laughed David, wiping his eyes.

They said their final goodbyes, including Max thanking David for being a great man and Joyce for being a kind and loving mentor to her all her life. They climbed into the truck and with a beep of the horn and a final look back, Max and Chloe Price-Caulfield were on their way.

They had just started a long and awesome journey.

Putting her hand on Chloe's, Max put in a CD with her free hand and pressed play. One of her favourites, Obstacles by Syd Matters. Chloe nodded her approval and kissed the hand of her wife. As they both began to sing along to the song, they smiled as they passed a sign.

'**Another great day in Arcadia Bay. Thank you and come again**.'

_**Well I really hope you enjoyed. Sorry for the spelling, my spell check is not working aha. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out but I will always aim to be every week if not, every other week. Thank you so much you awesome people and have a great day!**_

_**-Fynnlay Simms**_


	2. Chapter TWO: Room Five

**Chapter ****TWO****: ****Room Five**

Max Price-Caulfield often wondered what the best feeling in life was. Was it the warm feeling you get from being kind to a friend? Was it the ecstasy of taking that one perfect shot with a camera? Was it the joy of marathoning Doctor Who or Back to the Future?…

Right now, it was travelling along a wide road in a beaten up truck with the woman of her dreams, Chloe.

They had been on the road for about an hour or so and it was getting pretty hot so Chloe had insisted on winding the windows down so the cool Oregon breeze was blowing in both their faces. The plan was still to head to a motel for the remainder of the night and get back on the road the next morning. Chloe had wanted to camp out the first night but Max made the point that they needed to at least discuss a possible direction once they started driving so they had settled on a small motel leading out of Arcadia Bay.

As they passed a gas station, Chloe randomly started chucking to herself. It always warmed Max's heart to see her wife showing her happiness. Chloe had been through so much and lost more than anyone could cope with and to see her smile and laugh just proved how brave she really was. It didn't make her outbursts of laughter any less random however;

"Chloe, what exactly are you laughing at?" asked Max, raising an eyebrow.

"I was just thinking. You remember that time we set off across Arcadia Bay in search of buried treasure? I think we made it to the fucking water tower before dad came and got us. Man he was so pissed we went out on our own. You remember that?" asked Chloe.

Max smiled. Of course she remembered that but it had been so long ago. Back then they always used to play pirates and they used to get into so much trouble but it was allot of fun too.

"Oh my God we had to have been eight right? I remember William's face when he got out of the car, it was like a mixture of anger and relief. I swear Joyce was about to blow a fuse. What reminded you of that? Max enquired.

"That was one of the first times I ever thought about going on a journey. I wanted to see everything and go to so many places. And I wanted to see them with you. I wanted to go to every corner of this fucking world and see it all with you Max and now it's finally happening...well maybe not the whole world but you get the point" explained Chloe.

Max took hold of her wife's hand and gave it a small kiss. Chloe's touch was warm and soothing. Max felt like she could go to the coldest place in the word and still be warm with Chloe's embrace.

"With you by my side, the world doesn't stand a chance" smiled Max.

"A-men to that Maximus"

…

'_The Saints Motel was a dump that shat out a dump' _ thought Chloe. The building should have been a light blue colour but had at some point devolved into a kind of grey/green hybrid. The structure was pretty much the same as any bog standard roadside motel, two stories in a U formation and stairs leading up to every room. Those stairs however, looked as if the Hulk had rough and heated sex with the Thing as half the hinges were falling off and any kind of paint that had once decorated it had disintegrated decades ago.

And the smell…Chloe took one whiff of the air and made an exaggerated puke face. It smelt like a skunk had died and became a zombie and smoked seven pounds of weed at the same time. Still...it had a sort of charm in a way even if it reminded both Chloe and Max of the Bates Motel and they half expected to see Anthony Perkins himself brandishing a knife and wearing a dress to come out of the front office.

Chloe parked the truck in the small parking area and made sure to lock it. Chloe could see Max was a little on edge and she couldn't blame her. This wasn't the best of areas around and the people staying here were either lost, high or on a road trip like them. Chloe would never let anything EVER happen to her Max. EVER! After all they had been though, Chloe had naturally become slightly overprotective of Max Price-Caulfield. She had lost her father and then Rachel years later. She'd lost nearly everyone she had ever loved and she wasn't about to let that happen again. She'd be sure to keep a close eye on her during this trip.

"Well it isn't exactly the Ritz. To be honest it's more like the Pitz. It'll do though right Max?….Max?" Chloe looked around and within a second panic set in.

'_This is hella not the place to disappear on me Caulfield' _thought Chloe as she frantically looked around for her any sign of her wife. Then as usual, the same set of questions flew through Chloe's mind like a bullet looking for it's target;

'_Has someone taken her?'_

'_Has someone hurt her ?'_

'_Do I kill the person who hurt her or just really fucking hurt them back?'_

Thankfully she was worrying about nothing as Chloe cought the glimpse of her wife's telltale hoodie over by a wall with a camera.

Max gazed at the dirty wall in front of her. It was the same as the rest of the motel, in an dying state, but had graffiti and other drawings all over it. Words like 'Fuck you' and 'This sucks' were present obviously but there were others such as 'We need community' and 'Bad Wolf' that made her smile. People were always so creative in the strangest of ways and places. The people who tagged this wall wanted to express themselves in some way and show the world what they wanted to say. Max actually loved that and she loved the photo opportunity even more! So with the click of her camera, the wall had been immortalised and would be shown to her bosses when she got the chance. Max loved photography! She loved how the smallest of moments could be stretched into an eternity by the press of a button. It didn't matter if you were rich or poor or sad or happy, any emotion could be portrayed by a photograph. Life's greatest beauties and it's greatest tragedies were something many people had captured on camera and she couldn't wait to be one of them.

Max smiled as Chloe walked over and after giving the photo a quick wave, Max showed it to Chloe who had a shcoked expression on her face.

"Damn it Max, how the hell can you make the grimiest looking places look like fucking world wonders? I should hire you to work on my truck!" exclaimed Chloe.

"Hey, your truck is pretty. In it's way. That Steph girl thought it looked nice" countered Max.

"I believe the term she used was...eye catching. Now come on Maxine, let's get a room" mocked Chloe, knowing full well Max hated anyone using her full name. With a playful nudge to the shoulder, Max followed Chloe into the front office.

_...…_

The motel office shared the same colour scheme as the outside however a motly attemplt had been made to make the office look somewhat classy. The desk was made of a soft brown wood and the couch was light pink with frilly pillows and a purple blanket. The black stains were probably not a design choice. The woman behind the counter was quite large and she looked incredibly bored. Before Max or Chloe said anything, the woman looked right up at them and asked, in a tired tone;

"Room five or six?"

Slightly taken again, Max replied;

"Uhh….I'm sorry what?"

The lady shook her head and raised her voice slightly.

"I said room five or six? We're booked up and those are the only two left so...you get to choose! Prices on the board" she sung, pointing towards a black board with room prices on it behind her.

Max thought for a second. It was a simple question yet she felt weird about it, almost as if she had been asked the same question before or maybe read it somewhere or something. She shook it off as deja vu and let Chloe speak;

"Let's go with...room five! Oh and thank you so much for the talk. That conversation was so mind blowing...let me tell you I will always remember it!" said Chloe sarcastically. Max covered her mouth as she couldn't help but laugh. The lady looked as if she wanted to say something but simply shook her head again. Chloe exchanged the money for a room key and after winking at the lady, earning another chuckle from Max, they made their way to the room.

On the way to room five, Max noticed a couple laughing and holding eachother heading into room six. She shuddered to think what they were going to get up to and sighed thinking about the noise whilst trying to sleep later.

Chloe pushed open the door with some effort and walked into the room. Surprisingly it wasn't actually that bad! The room had brown walls and a dark red carpet. There was a small bathroom near the bottom left of the room and a simple desk with a mirror in front of the double bed. It wasn't anything special but it was good for one night. Whilst Max got a few items out from the truck, Chloe sat at the small desk and whipped out her sketchpad. The grungy feel of the motel had inspired a few tat designs in her head and she wanted to do a rough drawing so she wouldn't forget it later. As the pencil hit the paper, Chloe was in her element. Any insecurities or worries went to the back of her mind as she began to work on a new design. Chloe thought this must be what it's like for Max and her photography and she could see why the young hipster loved doing what she did. Sure she loved her maker and even to this day she would always tag a place that needed a little 'Price touch' but drawing and sketching felt different in an awesome-sauce way!

Max walked into the room a few minutes later, happy to see Chloe in her element. After spening a further few minutes putting some stuff away, Max sat on the edge of the bed and watched her wife drawing. It brought a tear to her eye the first time she leanred Chloe was drawing again and it still warmed her heart to see her so damn happy. Max had an idea a few weeks before they left on the road trip. Once they got to a populated area of some kind, Max would walk around some of the arty areas and see if she could find someone to at least take a look at Chloe's work. Chloe was an amazing artist and she deserved to have some praise from a professional.

A few hours went by as Chloe finished her initial sketch and Max caught up on some E-mails from her new bosses. By the time they were both done, it was getting late and they decided to turn in for the night although not before Chloe insisted on having a pillow fight and ended up knocking over the lamp on the bedside table. Max explained to Chloe that she would have to tell the lady at the front desk as Max did not want to face her wrath. Once they had finished their pillow war and got undressed, the young couple jumped in bed and did what they always did when in bed together; snuggled up and just talked. Max always loved this part of the night, snuggling up to the woman of her dreams and just taking in her amazing scent. They would talk about anything and everything like this; what they were doing tomorrow, what they were eating and often a few 'suggestions' from Chloe about what they were going to do after they stopped talking. Max had come a long way when it came to being shy but things in the bedroom department were still...new to her so she often let Chloe take the lead. Whenever they were intimate, it was a feeling neither of them could describe. It was pleasurable beyond belief obviously but it went deeper than that. These two shared such a deep love for eachother and showing in such an intense and physical way was an incredible feeling and something the two enjoyed over again. And even though they were in a slightly damp motel, that night was no different.

Chloe heard it a few minutes after getting started. A noise coming from the room next door, room six. It started off a kind of low moan like a Halloween ghost. Chloe refused to let it distract her so she continues to love her wife. She heard it again a little later and this time Max seemed to hear it too as she looked up towards the wall. It was only after the noise got louder and more intense did the two realise what it was at the exact same time. Max turned redder than she had been during their session as she remembered the couple she had seen entering room six earlier. And they were NOT being quit about it. At all. Max and Chloe just stared at eachother for a full minute in an unbearably awkward silence before Chloe let out a small chuckle at the absurdity of the situation. Interrupted during sex...by sex! It was eventually enough to cause Chloe to burst out laughing. Even Max had to admit how damn funny the situation was and eventually she too was laughing her head off. The two eventually stopped what they were doing and just sat there in that motel bed, doubling over with laughter for over half an hour before falling asleep still laughing.

The next morning, Max woke up slowly. She had just had a dream about the tip they were on and where they were going and smiled as she stretched her arms out and drearily sat up. It took her several minutes to notice two things; one, that Chloe was nowhere to be seen and two, that black smoke was slowly creeping into room five from under the door leading out to the porch. Max noticed the smell before anything, it smelt like burning rubber of some kind or burning trash. Max crinkled her nose as she tried to find the source of the smell and then her eyes wondered to the front door and noticed the smoke. Her immediate reaction was that this was some dream she was still in but the thickness and the speed of the smoke coming from under the door was enough to convince her otherwise.

Gasping she looked around the room, helplessly trying to find her wife so that she knew she was safe. She gasped even louder when she couldn't see her. Major alarm bells began to sound in her head as everything was becoming clouded and frantic. She jumped up from the bed as the room filled with smoke and backed over to far corner as far away from the smoke as possible. Max began to cough and her breathing became harder and rough due to the smoke but she did manage to shout two words out…

"CHLOE….CHLOE!" she yelled before cough again.

No response.

"CHLOE" she yelled again at the top of her lungs but again...no response.

As the smoke filled the room even more Max just thought about one thing…..

At least Chloe might be safe.

**Well there we go! Thanks for reading this chapter and as always the next one will be released some time next week. I love writing this! Also I do plan on incorporating more speech soon as well so sorry if the lack of it in this chapter was annoying in any way. Thanks again!**


	3. Chapter THREE: As the fire burns

**Chapter THREE: As the fire burns...**

The thing about fire is that it never stops burning. Even when the actual fire is put out, what it leaves behind is still hot and the memories are still there, burning away at your very soul until that too is nothing but ash. Sometimes though...in a rare twist of fate, the wind will arrive and blow the ash away and the beauty beneath has a chance to flourish again.

Hopefully today...Chloe Price- Caulfield will be that wind.

…

Chloe left the room very early that morning as she didn't want to wake her wife. She quickly and quietly, save from nearly breaking the window in a botched sock operation, dressed herself and exited the room without waking Max. Chloe had decided to wear her slightly torn black jeans with her signature brown jacket and white shirt. She always felt at home wearing shit like this and normally she couldn't give a shiny shit what she wore as long as it was comfortable...hell sometimes it wasn't but still. Chloe wanted to get some breakfast for both her and Max as a kinda surprise romantic gesture.

Chloe stopped for a moment.

Is that what she was doing now? Actually being romantic! Was she even capable of that?

Chloe decided to drop that train of thought. If being romantic always felt this good then you could consider her a literal rose-in-the-mouth romantic punk. Hella yes!

It was a quick drive to a nearby breakfast place and as soon as she walked in, Chloe smelt the sexy smell of fresh pastry and cooking meat. She did a double check to make sure she wasn't literally salivating and stepped up to the counter and ordered Belgium waffles and a bacon and egg sub to go. The man at the counter was nice enough and got the food to her quick. She paid the guy and left with the still insanely hot breakfast items in her hands. As she walked out the store, she bumped into a young man going into the store and he dropped his bag on the floor.

"Shit! Sorry dude, let me help you get that" she offered. The man turned away slightly as if to avoid her gaze and replied slightly nervously,

"Oh uhh...that's cool honestly. No harm done. You have food so I got this. Thanks though" he said. Chloe thought she detected some emotion in his voice but she didn't know. The man picked up his stuff and left quickly, now heading the opposite way to the store.

'_that guy looked familiar...didn't he give me cigarettes once?_' thought Chloe. It didn't matter in any case. Chloe hopped in her truck and drove off back to the motel.

What she saw when she got there...was a fucking nightmare.

…

At first the change is smell was subtle. The lovely and warm scent of the breakfast slowly became darker and more sour. It took Chloe a full minute to realise it was not the breakfast she was smelling anymore. When she first saw the horror...everything just stopped. Her heart froze as did the air and noise around her. A thousand emotions coursed through her all at once creating a raging battleground inside of her.

From a distance, the motel looked fine. It was the jet black smoke coming from one side of the building that revealed the terror within. Around five people were now gathering nearby and one was on the phone desperately phoning for the fire department. None of this of course registered for the young punk.

She didn't give a shit about the shity motel.

She didn't give a shit about the fucking people.

There was only one name in her head, one name she thought about and one name she cared about.

Max. Max. Max

'_NO...NO...NOT TODAY! NOT LIKE THIS AFTER EVERYTHING. FUCK THAT!' _

Without a single other thought, Chloe leapt out of the truck and raced towards the fire. Even before she got there she could see the fire was not coming from her and Max's room. It was coming from the neighbouring room, Room Six. It made no difference though as the fire was streaming from the room and the walls of the motel weren't very sturdy so Chloe knew it was piling into the room where her wife was currently sleeping.

"MAX! MAX! Wake the fuck up please. Fucking please!" screamed Chloe as she closed in on the room. The area around the motel had now turned an ash black from the fire and the green plants had become grey. Even the people around looked like ghostly spectres and the heat was intense.

Before Chloe could get near the room, she felt a hand grab her by the shoulder and hold her back. Later she would realise this was the hand of a fireman simply trying to save her life but in the moment it may may have well been the Devil himself. Chloe kicked and punched and clawed the man trying to hold her back. With every ounce of strength she had, she tried to pull away from the fireman. At this point there were sirens everywhere and more people had arrived to witness the blaze. Several firemen and women closed in on room six and kicked down the door. Chloe didn't care about that though. Finally managing to pull away from the fireman, she rounded on him and practically shouted in his face;

"My wife is in five! My fucking wife is in there so you better get the fuck in there or I'll goddamn do it myself. Please just...save her" she exclaimed, tears now visible in her eyes.

"Just stay back ma'am, we'll do what we can!" he stated. It turns out there were already firemen entering all the rooms nearby and their room was no excpetion. It took another two firemen to keep Chloe back. Chloe would go to hell and back to save Max so a burning flame wouldn't hold her back. Hell no. Fuck no!

It was only ten seconds between the firemen going in and them coming back out again but it felt like years to Chloe. The feeling of staring into the heart of the fire whilst your love is inside is...indescribable. The reflection of the fire could be seen from the tears sliding down her face and her knees became weak. By this point a crowd had formed and another fire truck had arrived. The scene was right out of a disaster movie but it was nothing compared to the battle inside Chloe. Fear and shock fought for supremacy and neither cared about Chloe.

Then the fireman came out.

All time slowed and when Chloe saw her...she wept.

The first fireman walked out slowly. With Max Price-Caulfield by his side, coughing and slightly dirty but alive.

As soon as Chloe set eyes on her wife, she ran right over and wrapped her arms around her. She would later wonder what she must have sounded like to anyone listening but it must have been a mix of crying and hysterical laughter. She was happy that her wife was alive and the rest of the world could quite frankly go fuck itself.

As the two lovers embraced, the fire blazed behind them.

…

A few hours later the fire had dulled into a small blaze and the smoke had died down. The room couldn't be saved obviously and the surrounding rooms would cost a hell of allot to repair. They even found out the reason behind it. Turns out that room six had faulty electrics and a heavily damaged heater installed. It was a time bomb just waiting to happen. The rowdy couple had already left before the fire started so they were saved from its fury.

Max had been thoroughly checked out by paramedics and they found nothing seriously wrong. She was in shock and would probably have a cough for the next week or so. One of the medics seemed very impressed with how Max and Chloe were handling such a horrifying situation. If only they knew.

After the check up and the mandatory offer of counselling, Max was finally allowed to go. The events had scared her. Truly. Ever since the storm she was scared about something like this happening and now it had, confirming her fears. This could have broken her. It could have reminded her that in this world, danger was around every corner and that maybe this trip was not a good idea. They could have phoned Joyce and David and turned the hell around. But they wouldn't.

On a hill overlooking the motel, Max and Chloe sat in silence for a while. They hugged eachother and watched the fire die. Only after around thirty minutes did Max break the silence;

"We cant stop Chloe. Seriously I want to carry on. This was just an accident and I'm not saying things will be the same but we've been planning this for such a long time. So let's just carry on and make this a damn good tip" Max spoke. She looked over to Chloe and saw a single tear make its way down her cheek and she spoke with a light whisper;

"I shouldn't have left Max. You could have fucking died and where was I? Getting breakfast at a fucking store. I'm sorry Max" Chloe's regret spilled into her speech. Max pulled her wife into a loving embrace and planted her head on Chloe's shoulder.

"Chloe stop! You could have never predicted this. It was just a freak accident and now it's over. I don't blame you and you shouldn't blame yourself so please listen to me when I say we should carry on and make something good of this trip...together. Just take my hand if you say yes to carrying on what we started." Max reached over to her wife and waited silently for a few seconds. Chloe looked over, indecision clear on her face. This was only the start of their journey and everything had nearly gone to shit. Day one was nearly the last on their road trip. It could either get allot worse or allot better from here on out. Chloe could see a different person staring back at her from the woman she knew years ago. Max Caulfield was always brave and stubborn but this was something new; this was Max Price-Caulfield and she was determined. That made Chloe determined so with a slight smile, she took Max's hand in hers as a sign of her agreement. This was only the beginning.

"One thing though, I'm hella glad we chose room five. Fuck knows what wouldn't happened otherwise. Oh and also one more thing...that couple who were 'having fun' last night...that must've been some intense sex" Chloe laughed silently. Max joined in too and soon the two were silently chuckling to themselves on the hill overlooking the dying embers of the motel fire.

**NEXT TIME: **_The Road to LA!_

**Well I hope you enjoyed and sorry for the shorter length. Next week will have a longer one and I have some really cool ideas for the next few chapters. Feel free to comment some suggestions of characters you want to see and story elements you want to see. Thanks so much for reading!**


	4. Chapter FOUR: The Road to LA

**Chapter ****FOUR****: ****The Road to LA**

It was a late and warm afternoon when Max and Chloe decided to leave. Both of them wanted to forget what had happened that very morning. The fire nearly caused everything to come to a crushing halt. Max could have been very seriously hurt and Chloe would never forgive herself. To think, if they had chosen room six, Max would have been in there when the fire began and she would've been killed or at the very least very badly hurt. Chloe always thought fate was a vindictive bastard but maybe sometimes it decided people needed a damn break.

Determined to put the mornings events behind them, Max and Chloe set off after a large discussion about their destination and they had both agreed on one place in particular, the place they had talked about going before they began the trip;

**LOS ANGELES!**

Despite being a beautiful place in general, the city had meaning to Chloe. It was the place she and Rachel always planned to run away to. Rachel always wanted to be a model in LA and Chloe saw a kind of fierce determination she had never seen before. Sadly the two had never made it before…

...Jefferson…

Chloe couldn't help but think about what could have been. If she and Rachel had made it to LA and what kind of life they'd have had. Although if they had succeeded in their plans, would she and Max met again? Would they still have fallen in love? Chloe refused to think about that and instead focused on the road. She was travelling to LA because she wanted to travel the country with her wife and if on the way she honoured her savour Rachel then it would be all the better.

The road had been pretty good for a few hours before Max asked them to stop by a small tree overlooking a billboard. As they pulled into a lay-by near the hill, Max smiled at the scene in front of her. It was pretty warm day and the afternoon sun was a deep orange that created a glow over the big sign that overlooked the small hill. The sign read , rather aptly, '_For the REAL glow, come on down to The Shinning Spa_'. It was too perfect an opportunity to pass up. With a spring in her step, Max popped out of the truck and took her position. She had the tree perfectly framed so the glow of the sun shone through it as well as past the billboard. There were a few holes in the sign so there were multiple sun rays shinning through it that gave off a mystical effect. Having her hands around the camera and gazing up at the perfect shot was bliss for Max. The sound of the camera clicking had always brought her a warm feeling inside of pride inside her and this was no different. With a wiggle of the picture after it came out the camera, Max walked over to Chloe and showed it to her. Her eyes lit up;

"Is there nothing you can do with a camera Caulfield?" she asked smiling.

"Well I can't create an unlimited pile of Oreo's and a copy of Blade Runner now can I?" she replied hinting.

"Ahhh she hinteth and she will receive...ith" jested Chloe. She popped over to the trunk of her truck and pulled out a large pack of Oreo's and their copy of Blade Runner. This copy was special. It was the Directors Cut. The best version. It took out the voice-over and replaced it with a dream sequence.

"One copy of Blade Runner, AKA sexy Deckard and Pris and an awesome Sci-fi epic. Wonder if there's some raunchy fanfiction about them two out there?" asked Chloe.

"Chloe if there's a fanfic about Hagrid and Dobby from Harry Potter living together then I'm pretty sure Deckard and Pris will make the cut" laughed Max.

"I seriously don't wanna know how you know that"

"No...you don't"

Chloe set up the laptop and inserted the movie. Meanwhile Max already broke into the Oreo's and took a seat on the hill looking at the distance. Chloe set down the laptop in front of them both and play-wrestled an Oreo from Max. After winning, Chloe chomped up the cookie and snuggled up to Max as they watched their favourite movie.

After the movie and a lengthy debate about whether Deckard was a replicant or not, Max and Chloe packed up their stuff and got on their way. Chloe noticed Max's cough. They had the damn motel fire to thank for that. Chloe was still thankful to whatever God was real that Max was okay. If something were to happen to Max, she was scared about what she would become. Max was her everything and without everything what is left but...nothing. After the surprisingly existential depressing thought, Chloe decided once again not to dwell on it as she was goddamn determined to make this a great trip.

…

A few hours later they were closing in on LA. Max felt a strange of foreboding as they grew closer and she didn't really know why. Maybe she shouldn't have watched Final Destination a few days before the trip. Yeah...bad idea. Still the feeling was there. She was still a little shaken after the fire naturally but it wasn't that. This was the first major city she had been too since the Arcadia Bay storm. Max no longer had her powers and she took that as a good sign. To this day she didn't know the origin of the storm and would probably never find out but it was still a bit scary to be in such a big place but there was no end to adventure to be had in this new area and it's not like they were staying there forever. It was just one stop on the long road ahead.

"So Max, think of anything you want to do when we get to LA?" asked Chloe, taking Max out of her daze.

"I don't know, there is only like a thousand things we can do. I'd like to go to an art museum if I can and I need some more photos for my bosses" replied Max, still thinking.

"I mean yeah what says 'fun and amazing road trip' like an art museum but yeah actually that sounds like fun. I want to check out the tat shops and get a new one. I don't know what though" pondered Chloe. Max couldn't help but smile to herself. She was still going ahead with her plans to surprise Chloe by taking some of her designs to a few tattoo parlours in LA. Chloe's drawing skills were insanely good and she deserves to show the world. At least that's what Max thought and she was certain the professionals would too. She wouldn't let on to Chloe though...not yet. She was saving that for later.

"We can go wherever you want Chloe" smiled Max.

"As long as you're with me...I don't care where we go" replied Chloe.

...….….…

The first words that came to Chloe when she gazed opon LA was; holy freaking shit that place is big!

It's not like she was some village elder who has never been to a city before obviosuly but it had been a while. She couldn't actually rememeber if she'd been to LA before now but she was here now and hot damn did it look awesome! A wave of emotion washed through her as the realisation hit her again. She was here in Los Angeles finally after so many years.

'_We're here Rachel. We finally made it! I hope you're watching...or at least listening to this in some kinda superhero monolouge thing. Either way we are here! Thank you...' _the thought lasted with Chloe for some time, probably all her life. Rachel had been her angel and saved her life then Max came along and made it a life worth living a thousand times over. For many years she felt worthless and abandoned by everyone who ever gave a shit about her including Max and her father but now Rachel was gone and Max was still here and she always will be.

Seemingly sensing Chloe's emotions, Max reached a hand over to Chloe's as they passed by a sign welcoming them to LA.

"She'd be so proud of you Chloe. You deserve this. You deserve to be happy."

As a tear made it's way down Chloe's cheeks, she looked at her wife and smiled. It was a sad smile but a hopeful one.

"I hope so. We're actually doing this aren't we? Driving around the country...escaping from Arcadia Bay. Still doesn't feel real somehow you know? It's like a dream that I really really don't want to wake up from" explained Chloe.

"I know what you mean but this isn't a dream. A metaphorical one maybe but this is real life. We have like the whole country to explore and LA is just the first part of that so let's do it and do it together" smiled Max.

"Max I appreciate your enthusiasm but I'm driving so we can't do it together until later okay?" she laughed. Max shook her head and started to laugh too.

…..…

It wasn't too busy when they pulled into a gas station in the outskirts of LA. Max noted how beautiful it would be in the night with all the buildings lit up like huge Christmas trees. One of the photos she planned on sending to her bosses was of the city at night so she was determined to find the best spot. The city itself had that city smell, the smell of industry and pollution and just...life. Max thought she could smell every aspect of life as she stepped out of the truck. Then again that could have just been the gas station.

"I'll just refill. You need anything?" asked Chloe.

"I'm good thanks Chloe. Try not to spend our entire budget on cigarettes" laughed Max.

"Max I am hurt. Like a knife right through my heart. I'll have you know I was only going to spend half of our budget on cigarettes. Maybe a little more...three quarters tops" Chloe's sarcasm made Max laugh as she headed towards the pump.

Max then decided to head over to the newspaper dispensers in order to take a photo of the cars pulling into the station. It sounded silly, almost too simple but the beauty of being a photographer was that Max could get a deeper meaning out of seemingly normal scenes and she relished the opportunity to explain those meanings to people, especially Chloe.

The comforting click of the camera sounded after Max spent a while waiting for the right time to capture the moment.

A deep voice registered behind her and she tensed;

"Remember, always take the shot!"

Suddenly everything stopped and Max turned around expecting to see the face of the most vile man she had ever met. That of her former teacher Mark Jefferson however, she only saw the shaking head of balding man. He had a newspaper in his hand and looked at Max as he spoke,

"Oh sorry kid, didn't see you there. I was just looking at this article about this sick fuck in Oregon. From Arcadia fucking Bay no less. Out of everyone who survived, why did it have to be a monster like this" exclaimed the man. He was clearly reffering to an article on the paper he was reading and Max felt a massive wave of relief. That phrase now tainted her passion and hearing it again was nearly enough to make her throw the camera on the floor in shock and disgust. Still, she was curious about what exactly the man was talking about.

"Uhh that's okay. Do you mind if I have a read of that for a second" she asked, more timidly than she expected.

"Sure kid, I was done with it anyway. Careful though, they got some pretty fucked up shit about this guy here."

"Thanks. Have a good night" the man gave the newspaper to Max who imeaditaly turned to the page the guy was reading. Sure enough, there was his face. Whoever edited the article had chosen two pictures of Jefferson. One was a publicity shot from a few years ago, the same one Max saw when she first read that Mark Jefferson was teaching at Blackwell. To think at one time Max looked at this photo in awe and excitement to meet a genius in photography. Now the picture mad her feel nauseous to the point of bile rising from her throat. The other picture was of Jefferson handcuffed and ill looking, being lead away by three police officers. The bastard had been caught thanks to David but had narrowly escaped death. So many emotions, none of them good, rised through Max from her core but she carried on reading regardless. The title of the article told her all she needed to know;

_**PHOTOGRAPHY LECTURER FOUND GUILTY OF MURDER AND KIDNAPPING!  
**_Suspected _Rachel Amber connection deepens!_

_Photography idol Mark Jefferson has been found guilty of multiple homicides and kidnappings. Recent reports suggest that the famous photographer is responsible for over five murders and an unreleased number of kidnappings. This discovery has left the art world shocked and appalled at this gruesome revelation and many of the lecturer's former associates have already begun to disown him. The shocking events surrounding the E6 tornado that destroyed the small town of Arcadia Bay and left many dead has some of the surviving citizens wondering why a man such as this has been spared._

_There have even been recent rumours to suggest that Mark Jefferson was behind the disappearance of Rachel Amber, the daughter of DA James Amber however this is unconfirmed. All that we know is; this man lured many young students to their deaths and violated them in ways we do not know yet. Arcadia Bay has endured tragedy the world has never seen and to think they had a monster like Mark Jefferson in their midst only serves to prove how horrifying the fate of the town was._

_In better news, Michelle Grant, who actually worked with Jefferson at Blackwell Academy has made another leap with her charity, 'SAVE THE BAY' and is expected to gain a further large donation from politicians at her upcoming charity event in Los Angeles. We will keep you updated as this shocking take unfolds…_

Max didn't even know what to think. To even be reminded of that heartless bastard made her head hurt and she hated even the mention of that animal. She took some slight relief at hearing Jefferson was finally answering for his crimes and she knew he was going to be locked up for a very long time or if Chloe got her way, dead within the hour. Max never believed in capital punishment but in Jefferson's case, it was nearly enough to make her rethink that. Max folded the paper up and put it in the truck. Chloe would want to read it soon, she had a right too but Max was going to keep it away for now, at least until they had one good day in LA. Max also found herself smiling at the thought of Miss Grant with her charity. She was such a great woman and it warmed her heart to hear about her. They were definitely going to stop and see her at this charity event before they left.

Chloe wondered out of the gas station a few minutes later. Max decided for definite that she would tell Chloe about the article later however, she did tell her wife about Miss Grant and her charity event in LA.

"I always kinda liked Miss Grant...well for a teacher anyway. It's nice that she's doing something for Arcadia Bay, yeah we should totally go check it out. Where is it anyway?" asked Chloe.

"Uhhh...I'm not actually sure. I know it's in LA though" replied Max, letting out another small cough.

"Fantastic directional skills as always Max. You'd make a GPS jealous! Doesn't matter anyway, I mean how many charitable science teachers can there be in once city?" asked Chloe sarcastically.

"Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit Chloe"

"And country music is the lowest form of music but it's still a thing" she retorted.

Even though laughing made her cough, Max laughed hard. To think not long ago they were crying together watching a massive storm rip apart their home and now here they were laughing in Los Angeles.

"Well Chloe here are in LA. So...where do you want to go first?"…..

**Back to regular uploads next week. I have been very VERY sick these last few weeks but I am on the mend now so I am excited as all hell to get back to it. Thanks as always for reading and see you next week!**


	5. Chapter FIVE: The Art of Chloe Price

**Chapter ****FIVE****: ****The Art of Chloe Price-****Caulfield**

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some people find flowers and rainbows mind numbingly beautiful whilst others find badass machine gun toting unicorns beautiful. Either way, a tattoo is the perfect way of expressing yourself and your perception of beauty, however weird or wonderful or fucked up it may be. That's one reason why Chloe loves them! They represent something for her. After her dad died, Chloe found it especially hard to express herself beyond anger and drugs so when she got her first tat it was a feeling beyond anything she had felt in a long time before that. Thanks to Rachel Amber, Chloe began to draw her own personal ideas for tattoos. She would never ever show anybody other than Rachel of course. Her drawings were off limits to anyone and it stayed that way for long after Rachel went missing. After that, Chloe stopped drawing. She didn't see the point anymore, she didn't see the point in anything anymore. Then Max came back to her and the storm happened and destroyed her entire home and then the strangest of thins happened...her inspiration came back and the pain, horror and happiness she had felt for years came out into her drawings. Just like Max with her camera, Chloe with her pencils and markers became like a team, they worked well together and would stick by eachother. That's why tattoos meant so much to Chloe Price-Caulfield. Also they just looked fucking awesome!

Max smirked at the notepad in front of her. Depicted was a deer wearing a crown of thorns facing outwards. The deer was also sporting an angry almost rabid look on it's face. Two ravens flew above the deer either side of it. Despite it sounding aggressive, the image was calming somehow. It was amazing and full of detail and hidden meaning.

"Wowsers Chloe! You honestly have talent. You should totally start showing people." proclaimed Max.

"You say the sweetest things hippie but no one wants to see this shit trust me. You should see some of the stuff the professionals draw. You get the meaning of it?" asked Chloe.

"Well if it's anything like a photo the meaning is always hidden in what you yourself see. Like, I could get one meaning from it but someone else could get another one from it and neither would be wrong" explained Max.

"Yeah exactly! Good catch Maxie-pad. To me it's like this. The deer is tranquil right and peaceful but it's angry and that anger has made it look different or is it the fact that it's different that has made it angry? As for the other shit...well it looks kinda cool so it's up to you what it means"

Max took hold of Chloe's hands and gently pulled her down to the bed, being careful not to lie on the notepad. She took her wife in her arms and gently kissed her on the lips. Max loved the way Chloe smelt. She smelt like lavender and oil and intense strong beauty. Thanks to the drawing there was also a smell of markers which weirdly added to Chloe's scent.

"You're amazing Chloe. I mean it. The way you draw just proves it and I want to show you how much you mean to me. I don't have it yet but I might have a surprise for you later after you come back from that...Firehawk thing" Max spoke sweetly. Chloe laughed and snuggled up to Max after planing a kiss back to Max.

"You're cute Max but it's Firewalk. It's not even a proper concert either, they're just selling a bunch of shit and a few band members are there. It's like a non-nerdy comic con. But hey, thanks for the surprise babe I can't wait to see it. How about a little...surprise party right now huh?" asked Chloe, twirling Max's hair slightly.

"You're such a dork Chloe"

"I know but you love it and you love me. So how about you show me?"

…...…

They had been in LA for about a day roughly and had booked a room in a small hotel. They were only staying in LA for a few more days before getting on the road again and camping the night after so Max had to be quick. The first thing on her mind was to find a local tattoo place to show of Chloe's work or at least get a profession opinion. Max wanted to be careful as she didn't want to betray Chloe's privacy by showing off all her work without her knowing but she just wanted Chloe to know how good her work really was.

At 3:00 in the afternoon, Chloe gave Max a kiss and left for her Firewalk thing and after gathering her stuff and Chloe's notepad, Max left too and ventured out into the streets of LA. Her plan was simple; find the right store and ask to speak to someone and then show them only one of Chloe's designs, as not to breach her privacy, and maybe record the praise using her phone. It sounded simple but LA was a damn big place. As soon as Max stepped into the street, the familiar sight and smell of a big city was overpowering. Huge skyscrapers littered the streets and shops and businesses were everywhere from convenience stores to Games Workshops. Max made a note to visit them later! Walking around trying to find a good tattoo shop in LA was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Then she remembered!

She was good friends with someone who had been to LA years ago to visit a cosplay convention and one of the people with him got a tattoo of Boba Fett on her arm. So Max sat down on a bench outside a bakery and dialled the number of Warren Graham.

Warren Graham was an old friend of Max's and one of her first real friends when she fist came to Blackwell Academy. He had a...slightly obvious crush on Max for a long time but now he was dating Brooke Scott, another old friend of Max, and their friendship was all the better for it!

He answered on the fifth ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey Warren it's Max" she replied.

"Oh hey Max! How's LA treating you?"

"It's awesome and I've got loads of good photos already!"

"Damn Max that's great, you'll have to show me them whenever you're back"

"Definitely, although I don't think I'll be back any time this century. Anyway I need to ask you something. You know when you came here for that cosplay thing and your friend got that Star Wars tattoo? Where did she get it?" asked Max.

"Oh shit yeah...uhh...Oh yeah it was this place place called Expression Tattoos I think. Can you find it on your phone okay?" he asked.

"Give me one second….yeah here it is. Are you cereal, it's only ten minutes away that's awesome! Thanks Warren!"

"No biggie. You thinking about getting a tattoo?" he asked curiously.

"No, at least not yet. It's just a thing for Chloe."

"Care to share?"

"I would but I'd have to kill you" joked Max.

"Colour me scared Max. Let us know when you're back, me and Brooke would love to have you and Chloe over for dinner."

"Totally. Thanks for that Warren, I'll see you later"

After ending the call, Max made sure she was going in the right direction and set off for the Expression Tattoo shop.

…

The shop wasn't that hard to find actually. The windows were full of insane sketches and patterns and even by looking in the windows, Max could see hundreds more adorning the walls. The building itself was right at the end of cul-de-sac like street and was a dark red in colour. It was just as Max imagined. Before she entered the store, Max heard her phone go and saw a text from her wife;

**CHLOE**

_hey Max. Just checking you're doing alright. You are doing alright aren't you?_

**MAX**

_I'm okay Chloe you don't have to worry so much :) How's the event?_

**CHLOE**

_pretty rad actually. Even got a new shirt that I didn't have to sell my body to afford. What you up to? And NO EMOJI_

_**MAX**_

Nothing much I'm getting a few photos. See you when you get back and also one last thing….

**CHLOE**

_don't you do it_

**MAX**

_:) :) :) :) :) _

**CHLOE**

_revenge will be sweet!_

Max chuckled to herself and entered the shop, notepad in hand.

The shop smelled of ink and soap and the sound of the tattoo needle rained supreme. Max couldn't help but marvel at the incredible art on all the walls and the books. The shop wasn't too busy, only two customers were in. One was getting a tattoo of what looked like a DeLorean from Back to the Future and the man closest to Max looked to be getting only one word tattooed onto his right shoulder, that word being 'Transect'.

There was large portly man and a punk looking woman with purple and green hair with glasses standing at the front counter and Max walked up to them. The woman spoke first with a powerful northern English accent.

"Hey up love, what can we do for ya today?" she asked with a warm smile.

"Uhh hey. Yeah I was just wondering if I could speak to someone who designs tattoos if that's possible" she asked, slightly nervously.

The woman and man studied her for a moment. Max couldn't tell why but she got a good vibe from them. The woman pointed to herself and the guy beside her and said,

"You're talking to them. My name's Kelli and this here is Karl. We haven't done all the tats in this place but most of the originals you can see is us. Mine are better by the way" she laughed. That is when the man stepped forward and folded is arms and shook his head.

"Now that isn't true. Okay maybe it is but mine are way more colourful" retorted the man named Karl.

"All you do is the same shit. It's damn good shit but not everyone is into pirates dude" laughed Kelli.

Max perked up.

"Actually I think pirates are pretty cool too" she said, rubbing her elbow.

"A wise woman of great taste. What can we do for you little lady? Although if you ask us to do a tat of the president I may just have to show you the door" laughed Karl.

Max took out Chloe's notepad and flicked to the deer she had been shown earlier that day. She explained to them her idea.

"So my wife draws these really cool tattoos and she thinks they're a bunch of crap. She isn't great at confidence. We've been through some pretty crazy stuff lately and I thought I'd surprise her by proving she's good by showing her designs to some experts" she explained.

"Well calling us experts has already gotten you some points there hun. Pass over the notebook, me and Karl will take a look" said Kelli, taking the notebook from Max.

The woman named Kelli took several minutes to look at it and then passed it over to Karl. Max studied their reactions. Kelli seemed genuinely surprised and Karl had a huge grin on his face. Then Karl said;

"You mind if we have a moment with this in private?" he asked Max.

"Uhh sure" she said and with that, he and Kelli left to the back room. For some reason this made Max nervous. She knew the Arcadia Bay disaster was still fresh in everyone's mind which was why she didn't mention it. She didn't want these two to think of her or Chloe as just victims and say something positive because of that. Chloe's designs were important to her and if she heard what an expert would say purely on talent alone, she would be so happy and that's all that Max wanted in her life, to see Chloe Price-Caulfield happy!

About ten minuted later, Kelli and Karl walked out of the back room still whispering but this time, Kelli also had a smile on her face. Max wasn't sure to be scared or relieved.

The two wondered over to Max and asked her to take a seat on a chair by the window. Max was not sure what to expect but one thing she did not expect was what Karl said next….

"So we took a look at this design and we also had a little look at a few others. Not all of them don't worry but a few. Now you say your wife did this? If so and she can prove it and after a long conversation….we'd like to talk to her about a full time contract"

**NEXT TIME: **Opportunity_ of Tomorrow_


	6. Chapter SIX: Opportunity of Tomorrow

**Chapter ****SIX****: ****Opportunity of Tomorrow**

Max literallt felt her jaw drop straight to the wooden floor.

A full time contract!

Did they actually just say that or was she imagining it. She had to be sure…

"Did you just say a full time contract? Like a contract for Chloe to...draw tattoos?" she asked nervously.

"Yeah totally! Actually these are some of the most original stuff we've seen in a while. It's pretty unique too and that's a grade A quality in this buisso" replied Kelli.

Max could not believe it! She expected to get some feedback and maybe a video of someone confirming that Chloe was a natural but this...this was insane. A thousand thoughts and emotions clouded Max's mind as she stood in complete silence. Hell, she was stood there so long she was pretty sure Kelli and Karl thought she was a weeping angel, only moving when they dared to look away.

After a full five minutes of just standing there with her mouth wide open, Max finally decided to break the silence;

"Uhhh...wowsers I don't know what to say. That is so kind of you to offer. I...wow" She found it hard to express herself. Max was both incredibly proud and incredibly scared! If this was true and not some morbid joke then Chloe may have landed herself an incredible opportunity and that was just awesome! All Max ever wanted to do was make her wife the happiest she could be and provide her a safe and happy life. This was her ambition, her hobby, her point in life! Making Chloe feel happy and loved was her profession and she so great whenever she could accomplish this.

Eventually Karl started to speak again, breaking Max out of her daze;

"Don't mention it. Now there are few boring old formalities obviosiuly before we can continue. It seems we haven't actually gotten your names yet and we'll need some contact details and proof of…

"Earth to Karl this crap is boring! Let's just let this young woman here talk to her own wife first before we start mouthing off yeah?" interrupted Kelli. Karl opened his mouth to argue but wisely decided against it. He knew she was right so he just laughed and nodded his head.

Max talked to the shop owners for about an hour before she set back of to the hotel to give the news to Chloe. They had talked about everything from life to strange scientific theories. Max had nearly laughed herself to death listening to Karl's theory on the evolution of English fish and chip shops. Of course they talked details such as contacts and phone numbers as well as Max mentioning that they were only in LA for a few days before driving on their road trip. That wasn't a problem as they explained the details of the proposed contract. Basically Chloe would come up with a design, do a few initial ideas and drafts and send the final product to Kelli and Karl by post and then she'll be paid. It wasn't the most professional of operations but Max couldn't give a shit. It was simple and Chloe would be well paid doing something she enjoyed. All it came down to now was what Chloe would think.

As Max bid her farewells to her new friends, she took a slow walk back to the hotel. The thousand thoughts inside her head still persisted but she was very excited to tell Chloe. She couldn't wait to see her face and she couldn't wait to see her wife happy and….

…

"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS MAX?" screamed Chloe.

Chloe had come a few hours after Max with a brand new Firewalk T-shirt under her arm. Max asked her wife to sit down and was literally bouncing when she told her about the job. As soon as the last syllable exited Max's mouth, Chloe exploded! Max initially couldn't tell if she was furious or just in complete shock!

"Chloe I'm sorry if I invaded your privacy but I had to..."

"Too fucking right you did! You know I never wanted anyone to see them. They were private and you went behind my back. You realise you've risked my trust right? You risked that just to see me happy is that it?" asked Chloe, arms folded.

Max was speechless.

"Yeah but I thought...I wanted to...I'm sorry Chloe!" she stuttered.

Chloe simply walked up to her and looked her straight in the eye and just said one word;

"Up"

"What?"

"I said up"

Max slowly stood up, not knowing what the hell was about to happen. She was probably visibly shaking at this point.

Then something unexpected happened. The frown on Chloe's face morphed into a wide grin. And then she suddenly jumped up into the air and laughed! Max suddenly felt arms around her waist and soon they were both jumping. Max could visibly see tears down her wife's face and she looked genuinely...excited.

"My God Max! You are so amazing you know that?" she practically screamed. Max could hear the warmth and overwhelming excitement in Chloe's voice. Max was so confused.

"But Chloe I though that I went behind your back and risked betraying your trust"

"Yeah you hella did but don't you get it? I know my trust means allot to you and you risked all that just for me to be happy and you got me a fucking amazing gig! I can't believe you'd do that for me hippie! I super love you so much"! Screamed Chloe, still jumping.

At this point Max had joined in on the crying. She had thought Chloe was pissed off but it turns out, she was happy! Happier than Max had seen her in a long time. Everything was coming together for the couple and Max could not be happier.

They had talked for hours following that. They had to work some things out like how and what Chloe was going to do with her first pay check. Max vetoed Chloe's idea of getting a weed smoking inflatable doll of Pirs from Blade Runner. They talked about ideas for drawings, Karl and Kelli, how they were going to fit it around the road trip and how Chloe was going to tell Joyce and David and all her friends. Max then thought about something she had to say to her wife. Something she thought Chloe needed to hear right now;

"They'd be proud of you Chloe. William and Rachel. They'd be so proud of you" said Max softly. Chloe looked up through a fog of tears and she embraced Max. Then she wept. These tears were full of memories and emotions and everything in between. This was both a beginning and an end. Chloe let everything she had inside her pour out. Her guilt for being here when Rachel couldn't. Her hatred of what Mark Jefferson had done to them and her sorrow for her father. Everything came out that day in LA. Chloe was about to start a brand new chapter of her life and carrying those emotions so heavily would do her no favours. She would still carry them forever she knew that but she didn't have to let them affect everything she did in life. The dream of yesterday had truly become the opportunity of tomorrow.

They slept very softly that night, hugging eachother warmly.

…

The morning sun covered the hotel room in a golden glow. Chloe had woken up insanely early and was already working on some ideas she had in mind. She had given the tattoo store owners a call the previous night and introduced herself. She could tell already that the Kelli chick was a badass and that Karl was probably the funniest dude she had ever met. They spoke for about an hour and had talked about the deal and specifics. They had agreed to test out one of the designs already in Chloe's notepad to see how the public would react and sort of gage the response. Chloe had to agree with Kelli on this one, the business and smart side of things wasn't her area but she was hella excited to start drawing properly and professionally. Chloe and Max had decided that she should pop to the tattoo store by her self to meet the K's in person that afternoon and then tomorrow, she and Max would head out to the 'Save the Bay' charity event thingy in central LA. Chloe had to stop a second. Not too long ago she was sitting alone in a disused bike shed smoking dope and tagging a Prescott Foundation sign. Not that there was anything wrong with smoking dope and tagging Prescott signs. She still loved those things. As did Karl apparently. He despised people like the Prescotts and he personally led a campaign to legalise marijuana in all areas of the US. These were some seriously awesome-sauce people.

Chloe looked over at the still sleeping Max. God she loved this girl more than life itself. Max had more than one super power. Obviously there was the whole time travelling rewind power but that was gone for good now however her other power still remained. To make Chloe's dreams come true. Max was great at that and Chloe owed her more than she could ever give back especially after getting her this amazing job as a tattoo artist. It was so mushy but she felt so warm and good when calling herself that.

She leant down and gave her wife a small peck on the cheek and chuckled when the young hipster smiled in her sleep. Chloe resisted the urge to say something cheeky like 'I remember that smile from last night'.

Chloe opened the hotel room door and felt that warm breeze and smiled. It was literally like a new dawn for her and she was fucking ready. Chloe looked up at the sky and quietly whispered,

"I did it dad"

With that she shut the door behind her, ready for anything!


	7. Chapter SEVEN: Michelle Grant

**Chapter ****S****EVEN****: ****Whatever happened to Michelle Grant?**

_THEN- Blackwell Academy, Arcadia Bay 2013_

Professor Michelle Grant put her pen down and sighed. She hated it when she had to give a student she cared about a low grade but today she had no choice. In truth, Anna Ross was a great student and bright too however she just didn't understand science as well as students like Sally Clark or Warren Graham. Michelle signed again when the thought occurred to her that sometimes even she didn't understand science and she was the teacher.

Science had always been a passion for Michelle Grant as was History and she often found herself at the library researching local history, even going over the knowledge she already possessed. She didn't really know why, maybe Arcadia Bay still had some secrets that needed exposing. Michelle put Anna's work back in its folder and began to walk out the door when a tall figure wondered into the furthest door of the class room. It didn't take a genius to know who it was, the glasses and the smart suit gave it away and the way he walked with such a confident swagger that Michelle imagined would turn the heads of a great deal of his students.

Mark Jefferson walked up to Michelle's desk and smiled at her. He had such a deep smile and a very intense stare. Most people would call Mark Jefferson handsome. Michelle Grant wasn't most people. She hadn't known him for very long and the only thing she really knew about him was his passion for photography equalled her own passion for history and science and that he was a damn fine teacher. Still...there was something strange about him. Something unsaid that desperately wanted to shout. Almost as if he held a secret that only he knew and he was proud of that. That didn't matter though, he was a kind and committed lecturer who she had allot of respect for.

"Good morning, Mr Jefferson" she greeted him warmly.

"Morning! And it's Mark please. Just because we're in such a...decorated establishment does not mean we can't be friends" he replied. The way he talked was as if he was always lecturing. Michelle thought he would be a great one-to-one mentor.

"You're right...Mark. So what can I do for Blackwell's resident celebrity" she chuckled. It was true Mark Jefferson was a famous photographer, especially in the 90's and his agreeing to lecture at Blackwell was a major talking point among staff as well as the students. Of course that meant Principal Wells had bragged about it endlessly. Michelle didn't think much of the man, not at all really but she was smart enough to keep everything professional. If she could do that with a man like David Madsen then she could surely do the same with Wells.

"You know how I am with modesty Michelle. Everything is good, I'm just wondering if you have a moment to talk about a student. Anna Ross. She attends your classes right?" he asked.

"Why yes she does. I wasn't aware she was part of your classes"

"Oh she's not. I just know her from around campus. We've talked a little and lately she seems distracted. I was just concerned is all and she seems to speak highly of you" he explained.

Michelle paused for a moment. She didn't know whether to be happy Jefferson was taking an active approach to the safety of every student of Blackwell or slightly alarmed. The way he spoke told her he was asking for a different purpose and she often worried if many of the students took a fancy to the man. She could see why to a degree but it didn't make it any less inappropriate. Either way, students' safety and security was very important to Michelle Grant so she decided to keep it limited with Jefferson.

"I will admit she has been different lately. I just had to mark her down for her work. I think she may have known Rachel Amber before she...well disappeared" her voice became heavy. Rachel Amber was a firery spirit and she always had that glint of determination and ambition in her eyes. She hadn't been missing long at all and Michelle hoped she was safe somewhere.

Something changed in Mark Jefferson's eyes. An emotion hidden deep down. Michelle couldn't tell what it was but it was a strong one alright. She presumed it was sorrow or deep concern.

"Ah Rachel Amber. Yes she was a friend to us all. Her spirit was fierce and unbending. I knew Miss Amber well you see. She was a...good student. All the more reason I should talk to Anna, give her the same advice as I did Rachel when she seemed distant. If you see before me, please let her know I would like to see her when she is next free in my classroom. Thanks Michelle" he said as he began to walk back to the door he came through. It made her smile that this man cared as much he did for the students just like her. Before he left, she called to him;

"I will Mark and thank you by the way. My students won't shut up about you, you're a good teacher!"

"Thanks but I'm not a real teacher. I just want to lecture. Give them the benefit of my knowledge. See you later." he said as he walked back to his classroom.

Michelle Grant gazed out of the window and into the bright Arcadia sunlight. The weather here was always beautiful and she knew it would always stay this was. She cared about Blackwell and Arcadia Bay. It was her home and she wanted it to remain safe. That's why she fought back against David Madsen and his security cameras. That's why she cared about every student of Blackwell and even those who weren't anymore such as young Chloe Price. Arcadia Bay was a beautiful land and if she had her way...it would always remain that way!

_NOW__\- S__ave the Bay Foundation__, L__os Angeles__201__4_

Michelle Grant put her pen down and sighed. Around a year ago, she held the work of Anna Ross in her hands and marked her down. Now, she held a letter in her hands, her condolences to the family of Anna Ross who had been one of many to perish in the Arcadia Bay storm disaster. She had been at Blackwell Academy late when the storm hit and she never left. So many of the students Michelle Grant had cared so heavily for were now dead thanks to a scientificly impossible storm. For the entire year after the storm, Michelle had consorted many collogues about the storm, read many books and listened to thousands of crackpot theories. None of them offered any logical explanations as to why a massive tornado had torn through a small town and reduced it to rubble. Michelle hadn't coped to well in the immediate aftermath of the storm. She very nearly fell apart as all she had known for so many years had been decimated. Her school, her academy, her friends and her students...all gone. But if anything, Michelle Grant was a strong woman and it didn't take long for her sorrow to transform into determination. For a time, the tears stopped and the action began! Arcadia Bay had been destroyed but it didn't have to stay that way and neither did Blackwell. She would not let the history of that small town be reduced to news headlines.

It started with a meeting with the father of a student who had died during the storm who held the same determination as her. He told her of the will of his son and the kindness he possessed and the wish to make the world a better place. He insisted that he and Michelle could help bring back the town. Michelle then contacted many people, sent hundreds of Emails and had the phone put down her more times than she could count but in spite of that, less than a year after the storm had taken everything from her...the Save the Bay Foundation was born. Michelle Grant hadn't expected to be part of a charity like this. She had always been a charitable soul but she was a simple science teacher from a small fishing town. Now, she was in LA hosting a small get together to raise funds for the rebuilding of Arcadia Bay. Soon Arcadia and Blackwell will stand tall once again! Of course, the Prescotts had told the news they would pay for a rebuild and it was true they had helped but their sudden philanthropy didn't extend that far.

The event wasn't that big and was being held in a small park in LA. A few up and coming politicians had made a pledge on the news to make a huge donation. It was obviously just a publicity stunt, these rich suits didn't care about Arcadia Bay, they only cared about the publicity it would get them but it mattered not, their money was still good and every single cent helped in some way. Michelle had started at the crack of dawn with her team and had finished the set up before the event started at midday. Michelle always hoped to see some surviving students attend but she knew it wasn't likely. Most of them were off living their lives somewhere else, trying desperately to move on from the disaster and they didn't need reminding of it again. Poor young Warren Graham had lost a limb during the ordeal so he couldn't make it. Michelle knew Kate Marsh had settled down with Victoria Chase of all people but by all accounts they were happy and Victoria had changed. Her family even made a donation to the Foundation, probably by Victoria's insistence, after all her friends Taylor and Courtney had perished in the storm. Juliet Watson had written a lovely article at her fancy paper in New York.

Whenever Michelle thought about her home, her thoughts would sometimes drift….to him.

The monster.

The one who fooled them all.

Mark Jefferson. Kidnapper and serial killing psychopath. The creature who had been responsible for the disapearence of many young students including that of Rachel Amber. The papers say it was only a possibility but she knew...she just knew! The way that snake spoke about her confirmed it. If only she could get five minutes with him. Five minutes would all she would fucking….

No. Not for him. He wasn't worth it. Save her strength for the Foundation speech in an hour. That monster would not ruin this and he would not remain a stain on the quest to bring back Arcadia Bay. The town was partially restored already but it wasn't over yet. Not by a long shot.

Peering around the warm park, Michelle smiled despite the tears threatening her. She always got emotional during these events. The marque was up and the chair placed. People were walking around, mingling and talking about loss and happiness. The trees swayed lightly and the noise of the birds made for a surreal scene.

It was beautiful. Truly. Emotional.

It was made even more emotional by the arrival of two women. One with blue hair and one with shoulder length brown hair. It took Michelle Grant a few seconds to fully realise who they were and then a single tear broke free and slid down her cheek.

Max Caulfield and Chloe Price. And they were holding hands. These two amazing young women who Michelle wasn't aware they were together had just walked into the small park in LA and made everything she had done worth it. They had just made her day!

…

Max could not contain her emotion as she hugged the woman. Miss Grant looked so similar, right down to the clothes she wore. Even though their were slightly visible bags under her eyes and her hair looked slightly unkempt, this was still Miss Grant. Max could see just by looking into her old teachers eyes that her determination and courage had only grown.

"Oh my God it is so good to see you Miss Grant. It's been super long! How've you been?" she asked sweetly.

"Hard at work and ecstatic to see you Max, you truly have no idea! And Chloe Price as well, it is lovely to see you!" she asked, wrapping her hands around the young punk. To Max's surprise, her wife returned the hug. Chloe had truly boomed with her confidence and kindness recently!

"Hey Miss Grant. It's super cool to see you too. Oh and it's Price-Caulfield now. Yeah, someone finally caught me. This little nerd right here" Chloe gave Max a little squeeze. Max smiled at the sudden shock and surprised face of Miss Grant and then when she spoke, her tone had shot up to one of pure happiness,

"My lord that is….I'm so happy for you, both of you! My goodness I never would have seen the two of you together let alone married! I can tell you my heart is a light one today! And thanks for coming, this must be hard for you to be reminded of the distaster again" she said, still unable to contain her emotion. It was true, as soon as Max and Chloe saw the signs for the event, the two had been overcome with emotion and Max was tempted to go back to the hotel and hide for a while. It was only a moment though, her anxiety would never leave her fully. She was nervous to see Miss Grant as well. Mainly due to her old powers and the potential cause for the storm. Max wondered what Miss Grant would say if she told her the truth. Max didn't have to worry though as she had no plan to tell anyone of her old powers. This was a charity event to help repair her home and Max really wanted to help out before they left LA that evening to continue their road trip.

It was Chloe who spoke next;

"It's...hard. I never liked Arcadia. You probably remember huh? I thought it was a shitpit and I hated that place. I never wanted what happened to it and I guess I feel...guilt you know? But what you're doing is really great Miss Grant. We're here to help if we can" said the young punk.

"Well I am glad to hear that Chloe and any help would be appreciated especially from two fine young women such as yourselves and please...it's Michelle" she shook the hands of both Max and Chloe. In that one exchange, a hundred emotions were conveyed silently. Sorrow and hatred for the storm and Mark Jefferson, Happiness and Joy for being reunited and love and respect for one and other. Together they were part of Arcadia Bay and this one small charity event was part of it's recovery.

Max and Chloe took their seats near the front of the venue. Max held Chloe's hand throughout the event and they spoke about the old town and eachother before the event began properly. They briefly spoke about their next destination on the road trip and decided there and then that they would just drive until they were tired and then camp out in some secluded spot. Max obviously made the connected to all those horror movies on Warrens flash drive but Chloe waved her concerns away by explaining that they would kick the ass of any cannibal or zombie that tried to eat them. Around half an hour later, nearly a hundred people had taken their seats and Michelle Grant walked on stage, looking strong and courages as ever and began her speech;

"So here we are. I would say here we stand but that sounds equally as pretentious as it does silly since most of you are sitting down. It has been nearly a year since Arcadia Bay met its destruction at the hands of a monstrous tornado and many lives were sadly lost. The land that had been around for millennia was reduced to nothing but rubble. We still don't have a definitive death toll or cost of rebuilding. Even the seemingly bottomless pockets of the Prescott family don't seem to be able to hand the cost of rebuilding my home. Alone, all hope is lost. But no longer. Together we can raise the phoenix from the ashes of Arcadia Bay and return hundreds upon hundreds of people to their homes. We can literally build a new world but only together. Now, some of you here have lost people to that storm. Loved ones who we all still miss daily and will never forget. Even the Prescott family lost someone. We can't bring them back to life but we can carry on their legacy by building something they can be proud of. A place we can all call home in their memory. Simple men and women, boys and girls have become heroes and warriors to bring back our homes. So to everyone here I ask you to forget the troubled history of that small fishing town, forget the monsters among us and the evil deeds of those we called friends and come together today. Help us all. Save the Bay and never forget, the future starts today!"

The entire park erupted into cheers of joy and cries. Both Max and Chloe were crying now. Sad tears, obviously, but happy ones too. Max had moved away from her childhood home for years and Chloe wanted to burn the entire ground but in this moment, on that day….they were happy to see it raised again.


	8. Chapter EIGHT: Operation TENT (Part ONE)

**Chapter ****EIGHT****: ****Operation TENT **

**P****art ONE**

"Max I'm hella sorry but I am going to shove this motherfucking tent-peg right up the nearest…."

"Chloe you need to calm down. It's not like you're playing wack-a-mole with it. Hit it lightly and in the centre, see like this" explained Max as she gently, but with some force, drove the tent peg into the ground and secured that part of their sleeping arrangements for the night.

Chloe and Max had left LA hours ago and had now made their way to a quite secluded spot in a forest they had planned from the start. Max had chosen it because of it's beauty and seclusion, away from the highways and people. Here she could get a few nice photos and also she and her wife could spend a romantic night under the stars as they used to do as kids. Well it would be a romantic night if Chloe Price-Caulfield didn't murder the tent pegs attempting to ram them into the ground.

Max sighed and laughed to herself. The way Chloe was acting was…nice! Really nice! Max was reminded of a younger Chloe before Williams death. Full of joy and hope and energy, ready to take on the world. Being in LA had changed the young punk in so many ways. She had finally made her peace with Rachel and even admitted that her father might actually be proud of who she was now. Chloe had more reasons to live than she ever imagined she deserved! She had a wife, her mom and step-father were alive and well and she had a job working as a contracted tattoo artist and designer. Life was beginning to look up for Chloe and it made Max all the more happy to be here with her!

The area they had chosen was a small little disused picnic area that had long since been abandoned. It was right in the centre of a hilltop and looked over the large forest that surrounded them. From their position, you could see thousands of trees swaying and a small river running through the forest. Max took several photos, analysing angles and checking the contrast. This area was stunning and would look amazing in any form but Max wanted to get it perfect. She would then send it to her bosses for approval and maybe get them in the runnings for a gallery showing if they were good enough. It was far fetched but Max loved the dream of it.

Whilst attempting to force the tent peg into the ground, Chloe got a text confirming her payment had gone through! It was a donation to the Save the Bay Foundation. Before leaving LA, Max and Chloe spent a long time with Michelle Grant talking about the Foundation and how they could show their support. They had agreed on a donation and Chloe was more than happy to help. In fact, Chloe had managed to talk Kelli and Karl into an early payment for her first design and then send it directly to the Foundation. It wasn't much but Chloe felt good doing something for her old home town. Over the few hours they spent with Michelle Grant, they discussed other ways of helping and agreed they would all meet up whenever the road trip finished. On top of that, Michelle Grant had come up with the plan to look for other scattered Arcadia Bay survivors on their trip around the country. It made them both feel like adventurers again, roaming the lands for their booty! Well in this case booty was people. Chloe had no idea what they'd say or do if they met any other survivors but they'd cross that bridge when they came to it.

Finally, after reading off a list of every cuss word in the world, Chloe managed to brute force the peg into the ground and their tent was up and steady. It wasn't too big but big enough for the two of them to sleep that night. Chloe then grabbed a couple of beers and a bag of marshmallows and took a seat in front of the tent. They didn't have a fire going as it was pretty hot already and they were both perfectly happy to binge the marshmallows and leftover Oreo's by themselves. By the time Max came back from her 'photo coma' as Chloe called it, the marshmallows had already been half gorged. Max gave her wife a fake scowl;

"Uhhhh...so yeah there was a bunch of these alien dudes and they told me they would destroy the whole world if I didn't eat half the marshmallows so I had to make that sacrifice" explained Chloe triumphantly.

"Oh really? It must be so hard living with that sacrifice living over your head" laughed Max.

"That's the 'price' of being a hero!…..You see what I did there?" asked Chloe, grinning.

"The only thing I see is a massive dork"

"And you totally love me for it hippie. Anyway, take a seat Peet, we have some shit to talk about"

Max did as her wife said and she snuggled up to Chloe as they gazed up at the darkening sky. It was a beautiful evening and things couldn't better among the two lovers. It had been a long time since Chloe felt so at peace and calm with everything. She still thought life was a river of unending shit but maybe there were a few islands of awesomeness and peace along the way.

"Max?"

"Yeah Chloe?"

"I love you. You know that right? I mean seriously….love you. I guess all my life I've been looking for a purpose you know? I was trying to find answers in drugs or alcohol or boys. Took me a while to figure out those things didn't make me happy or give me a purpose other than being a fuck up. But now though I do have a purpose and that is to love you from now until those alien dudes come back for revenge for our marshmallow murdering habits"

Suddenly Max burst into laughter and tears at the same time and then Chloe herself began to laugh. Soon the two were doubling over in laughter and shoving cookies and marshmallows into their mouths. It wasn't long before they didn't give a shit about the noise they were making or the mess they were creating, the two women were having a damn awesome time. Max even tried a sip of beer and as always, hated it! But that didn't matter in the slightest as she was having such a great time. The music came on around midnight and the laughter became singing and then back to laughter when Max forgot half the lyrics to one of Chloe's favourite songs.

It all came out that day! The happiness and the hope of their recent adventures cought up with them and the two partners celebrated. They celebrated Chloe's new job and the progress of the Save the Bay Foundation. They celebrated Joyce and David and all their friends and family who were happy and safe.

They were having such a great time celebrating, neither woman noticed the man with a loaded rifle watching over them. And he was smiling.

**Sorry for the short length, I have been very ill recently but I am on the mend! Part TWO of this chapter will be longer and I wanted to clarify that Michelle Grant will be back at some point! Thanks again for reading!**


	9. Chapter NINE: Operation TENT (Part TWO)

**Chapter ****NINE****: ****Operation TENT **

**P****art ****TWO**

The plan was set! Well it wasn't so much a 'plan' as it was a guess at there they would be heading and a hope they wouldn't get lost or go insane. Of course, Chloe was halfway there already after dealing with the damn tent pegs.

Their next destination...San Francisco!

There was no way Max and Chloe could go on a road trip in California without visiting that place! Chloe wanted to have a drink on the Golden Gate bridge and Max just knew there would be a million opportunities for amazing photographs. And there was Alcatraz after all. It wasn't a prison anymore but they just had to go and check it out. Although Max had to stop Chloe from planning an actual escape attempt from the island with a high speed boat chase to boot.

It was going to be a hella fun time…that is if Chloe would wake the hell up!

"Chloe…Chloe! For the love of Dog wake up. It's like three in the afternoon I think and I swear you've been lying there so long the forest is starting to grow around you" said Max as she gently shook her wife.

They actually had a pretty decent sleep that night in the tent and the beautiful forest noises helped to send both of the young women sound asleep. The last few days had been pretty tiring for the couple and they both appreciated the rest. Well one of them was still appreciating it…

"Uhhhh Mom I don't wanna go to school" groaned Chloe smiling. After a massive ass yawn, Chloe finally, with great effort, hoisted herself up and wiped her still tired eyes and looked at Max and said;

"This is totally your fault Caulfield"

"How in this world is it my fault that YOU slept in" replied Max.

"You know why my beautiful hipster lover. I mean come on...we didn't exactly drift off to sleep when we got warm in the tent did we?" chuckled Chloe.

Max felt a blush creep up on her face. It was true, they did have a bit of an...adventure the previous evening and they didn't get to sleep for some time. Maybe it was because of the stunning environment they were camping in or maybe it was because of all the good news lately or even just because they seriously loved the hell out of eachother! It didn't really matter as Chloe said, it felt damn good either way!

The bright afternoon sun beamed down on the little camp site the Price-Caulfield' had made their temporary home and the sun rays turned the small camp into an old style water coloured painting. It was truly a mesmerizing image. Even Chloe's old beaten up old truck looked surreal in the background. The truck stood guard only a few feet away from the tent with all the spare equipment hurled in the back and leaning against the wheels. Max had somewhat gotten used to the smell of oil that came from the ancient vehicle and it was now a comfort to smell it close by and Chloe definitely felt the same. The smell of that truck had always been a comfort since the first day she found it in the junkyard. She remembered telling Rachel exactly this one day after storming out the house one day;

"This place blows balls! The sooner we're out of here the fucking better and that truck is the only way we're going to do that! It will take time Rachel but I will work on it and make damn sure it works and soon too. Arcadia Bay is a fucking prison and that truck is our escape attempt. It's not my project...it's ours"

That was years ago now and Rachel Amber was gone but the truck was still here and it was the vehicle that finally took Chloe out of Arcadia Bay. Chloe wasn't sure she believed in fate or destiny or whatever but if this was meant to be then maybe it was a sign. Maybe the truck was more than just a beaten down old fossil but...it sure as shit smelled like one.

"Yo Max, I might drive the truck a little out a ways from the camp. I know we're not here for much longer but that smell is seriously making me want to puke out last nights lunch" she said as she grabbed the keys from the tent. Max wondered back after taking a photo of a nearby waterfall. She was wearing her trademark jacket with a dark purple shirt on and to Chloe, she looked like an angel wandering around with the sun to guide her. Truly amazing. Max smiled as she walked up to Chloe,

"That's cool by me just as long as you don't it stuck in the mud again like last night..." Max laughed.

"Hey it wasn't stuck, it was just...well...okay it was fucking stuck but she got there in the end. She's a fighter just like me"

"She's as stubborn as you that's for sure. You know before we leave for San Francisco we should…." the unmistakable sound of a boot breaking a twig sounded right behind them. Max immediately stiffened and Chloe tensed. Chloe knew she felt something weird the night before, like that feeling you get when you're being watched. She didn't tell Max as she didn't want to worry her over something that was probably nothing. She mentally cursed herself and chastised herself for not doing what she always did and followed her damn instincts. Still it could be nothing, just some old dude lost on his way to bingo or a bird watcher looking for...well birds. The sound came again, this time closer and coming from behind the truck. Max thought she heard something else too, like the sound of a small animal walking on the forest floor. She looked at Chloe and Chloe looked back whilst also taking Max's hand in hers. It had been a long time since Arcadia Bay and Mark Jefferson but they were both still uneasy around most people and they were a fair distance from any kind of main road or house.

"Chloe"

"Max it's probably just some guy walking his dog or something...right?"

"We're too far away from a road. Look it could be someone just walking around, let's just turn around and see okay"

"Sure Max we can do that. But I am grabbing the wrench in the back of the truck either way just in case. We'll just walk slowly and if it's anyone who wants to give us shit then we'll do the same. I won't let anyone hurt you Max okay."

And I won't let anyone hurt you. We're probably overreacting anyway. Well let's do this! Okay...in three seconds we both go around the truck at both ends and see who it is. So...three"

The steps were getting closer.

"Two"

Very close.

"One"

Max and Chloe both walked around the truck at the same time very quickly.

And what did they find when the did?

A man holding a rifle looking right at them with a dog by his side. A very familiar Dog.

The dog was a cross between a German Shepherd and a Pitbull which was a very popular breed for dog fighters. This particular dog ran straight up to Max and started licking her hand. Her first instinct was to move her hand away in case the dog bit her hand or something however, Max recognised the dog, a dog she once called 'Cujo' a long time ago. Equally the man with the rifle, who had now lowered it, Max knew immediately as a man she hadn't seen in a while and didn't think she would ever really see again.

"Frank...Oh my God is that you?" asked Max, mouth wide open. Indeed it was!

Frank Bowers.

Frank used to be one of Arcadia Bay's most infamous dealers and all around asshole who Max really didn't like and thought he was super creepy but over time, the young photographer had seen a different side to Frank Bowers, he was still a little creepy sure but he was honourable and had a heart especially for dogs and Rachel Amber before she disappeared. The man standing in front of them now looked slightly different, he looked rougher in a way and his hair was longer underneath his cap. Even though he looked rougher, he had a stance that reminded Max of...triumph or energy. He looked taller and happier and he stood with a kind of quiet confidence that Max had seen before in students who aced tests. Even though he looked slightly different, his voice still sounded the exact same;

"Well well...look who it is, the wonder twins! How the hell are you both?" he asked with a smile. At this point Pompidou had located Chloe and was trying to jump up and hug the young punk with glee in his eyes. Speaking of which, Chloe herself was staring in complete disbelief at Frank who was watching his dog with a smile.

"Holy shit Frank! What the hell are you doing here? Have you been following us dude?" she asked, slightly defensively.

"Jesus Christ Price what do you think I am some kind of pervert? No I have not been following you, I live about a half mile away. I was walking Pompidou late last night and saw you camping and thought I would come and say hello. At least this time I'm the one with the gun pointed at you huh?"

Ignoring the jab, Max spoke next;

"I can't believe it! What the hell are the chances we choose to camp in a place only a half mile away from you?"

"Shit small I guess. You two here for that charity thing? I figured you would be. I was going to go but I don't think I belong there or deserve it shit I don't know. Anyway I brought some beers and figured we might have a catch up...if you don't have anything better to do obviously" he stated sarcastically.

Sa for around an hour, the three of them, plus Pompidou, sat around the camp talking. Chloe couldn't drink much as she was driving but she did have one 'to be polite' and Max hated the taste of beer so neither did she. The three of them talked about what they had all been up to since they last spoke. Frank went first;

"So it turns out dope pusher isn't exactly something you can put on a resume so I was shit out of luck job wise. I was tempted to go back to the life, Pompidou needed to eat you know? But I didn't. I guess I thought about that fucking storm and...Rachel. More than anything though I thought about you two. You both went through the same shit and you also lost Rachel but you turned out okay. Weird as shit but okay. Fuck you even got married. So I guess I wanted to do better and what do you know, I did! Got a job as a lumberjack for a while, it was pretty good pay but I left a few weeks back and no I'm not saying why. I just had to get out. What the hell are you two even doing here anyway?"

They then talked about the road trip and the shit they got up to before arriving in LA as well as Chloe's new job and Frank actually seemed happy in a way.

"Good for you Price, you deserve it"

"Come on Frank don't go all mushy on me now"

"I was just saying I'm happy for you. Fuck man will you always have a stick up your ass?"

"Yeah I save it for assholes who piss me off" Even though they were now raising their voices, both Frank and Chloe were smiling and pretty soon they were doubling over in laughter and Max couldn't help but join in. Pretty soon they were all sharing stories and laughing as well as drinking well into the afternoon. Max and Chloe both agreed that they would leave for San Francisco the next day instead and decided to enjoy their evening. There were some awkward moments throughout and it was still weird to hang out with Frank like this after everything but Max could tell he had changed. He wasn't a creep or a drug dealer anymore, he was just a man with his dog and a past he wanted to forget. Even Chloe later admitted it was kinda nice to see him. In a way. Chloe had very mixed feeling towards the man. On the one hand, he represented the life she wanted to leave behind. She bought her drugs from him as well as was threatened multiple times by the man. Not to mention his past with Rachel, the woman they had both loved. Chloe hated him for that and hated the asshole he was but that was just it...was. Chloe spent most of her life refusing to give second chances or forgive anyone but she managed to get a second chance at things and she herself had changed and walked away from her past. Plus he seemed different now, he had a weight but seemed happier and more at peace than before. Chloe wasn't sure she could forget or forgive the past but she could at least try. If anyone had told her a year back that one day she would be having a laugh and a good time with Frank Bowers, she would have probably punched them. Actually no...she would have definitely punched them.

A few hours later, Max decided to get some rest in the tent. Even though Max hated beer, she had eventually drank a fair few and wasn't used to that so she decided to end the night early. She gave her wife a peck on the cheek and disappeared into the tent leaving Chloe and Frank sitting by the truck. For about ten minutes neither spoke and they just drank in silence. That was until Chloe broke the silence;

"What are you doing here Frank? I mean what are you actually doing here? I'm not a detective but I know it's way too much of a coincidence that we camped only a half mile away from where you live so out with it and if I smell bullshit I'll..."

"I lost everything"

"You what?"

"I said I lost everything okay. I fucked up! I lied about leaving that job, I was fired. I wasn't focussed enough and lost my shit too easily and I fucking drank to much. You wanted the truth Price you have it! I am just as much a fuck up as I was back then except now I don't have the drugs as an excuse. I can't get past Arcadia Bay or what I did to Rachel" he said, clearly struggling.

"Frank you didn't do anything to..."

"Of course I did I...I...I killed my lioness. You know how she died right? You know what the fucking animal did to her and it was because of the stuff I gave them. I know you were close but I kept kidding myself that I meant something more to her that when I fucked up she would always come back until...she didn't. That's why I was always so hard on you. I'm sorry okay I'm fucking sorry." he continued, tears visible in his eyes.

Chloe studied the man. Maybe it was the drink that bought this side of him out or maybe he had just kept it in for so long. She didn't need to know the details. In front of her was a man she pretty much hated telling her more than he probably every told anyone in his entire life. Chloe decided there and then to give Frank that second chance. They might never be best friends but that didn't mean they couldn't be just friends. But there was one question Chloe needed to ask first…

"The gun. You never said why you had it. You weren't walking your dog when you saw us were you?" she asked softly.

He looked down in shame.

"No. I saw you both at that charity thing. I wanted to see the survivors one last time before I...well you know. I had arranged for Pompidou to live with this family in LA and I was going to say my goodbyes before I finally just...left. I thought I could live with it, carve out a life and forget everything that happened but I couldn't. I'm not as strong as you Price or Max. You're better people than me. I guess I thought I would come and talk to you both first and see if I could, I don't know get some perspective or some shit. I don't fucking know. It's all bullshit." Chloe couldn't see but she bet there were now visible tears on the mans face. Chloe had to admit she was feeling sad too. She had been right, he had changed but not the way she wanted for him. Chloe knew exactly how he was thinking, she had been there herself so many times for very similar reasons. Both Rachel and Max had saved her. Rachel had saved Frank too but when she went missing, he had no Max. No one to save him again and Chloe could have been Frank if Max hadn't come back. This made her shiver and she again looked over to Frank. She would not let this happen to him.

Chloe walked over and gave him a hug. Just a small one to let him know he wasn't alone anymore.

"Okay I'm going to be blunt and you're going to listen. I fucking hated you for what you and Rachel were and you were a massive asshole but who the fuck cares anymore. A giant storm literally tore our home apart and here we are now. I loved Rachel and who the hell knows who she really loved. I don't think she knew either really. And yeah, the drugs that killed Rachel probably did come from you but you did NOT kill her Frank. That was Nathan and Jefferson not you! I know it isn't going to get better now or for a while or maybe not forever but giving up won't help you or anyone. You've got a vehicle right? Why don't you follow us down to San Francisco and then we can see what happens there. The least we can do is try right? Frank we will help you, just try okay like I did. You can be a good man just don't give up."

Frank looked up and though his tears he smiled.

"That was a pretty good pep talk you know that Pri...Chloe. Okay you have my word I'll follow you but I can't promise anything. Don't really know if I'm worth all this shit"

"Neither did I Frank. Now I'm better and you can be too."

"We'll have to see..."


End file.
